


ex·po·sé

by aliaslestat



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, trans!joker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 04:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3714622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aliaslestat/pseuds/aliaslestat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After unwittingly discovering the Jokers biggest secret Bruce has opened a whole new can of worms in terms of his and his arch rivals relationship. Feeling that he could use this to his advantage in his quest to rehabilitate Joker Bruce sets out to help and tame the villain. Hoping for the first time since he met the Joker that he has finally found the key to unlocking Jokers past and bringing him to the present. And for once Joker might not be as crazy as he seems, they are an awful lot like each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	ex·po·sé

**Author's Note:**

> ex·po·sé  
> 1\. An exposure or a revelation of something discreditable.  
> 2\. A formal exposition of facts.

Batman had been watching the Joker’s patterns very closely over the past six months. Despite the usual messes he made and the idiotic jokes that became exhaustingly predictable in how much they made Bruce want to punch him square in the mouth just to get him to shut up, which never worked anyways he still talked through broken teeth, there was another pattern that emerged once he took the time to actually look. The crimes the Joker was committing weren’t huge crimes, no one was dying and the collateral was reparable with donations from Wayne Enterprise and so he had built it into his route to ever so casually let Joker slip away. 

The confidence Joker had was a slow build once he realized he escaped almost every single capture through some miscalculation on Batman’s part or a flaw in mechanics. Even so Bruce made sure to give him a run for his money ever time making sure they were both panting, shaking wrecks by the end of it only to let Joker ‘disappear’ on his last leg of energy.

After all there was no real point to throwing him back in Arkham he always escaped and while he was there he made life a living hell for the staff. If he was content making controlled messes for Batman to clean up then so be it. It helped that while Joker was around the other criminals kept their merrymaking to a minimum as to not get on the Clown Prince of Crime’s bad side. That in itself made life a whole lot easier for Bruce to manage.

He had noticed that there was a wave to the way Joker committed his crimes, something he had been too busy to notice before and it was rockingly predictable enough that he could track it with some degree of accuracy. About every nine days Joker would go off the radar and someone else would take his place whether it was the Penguin or Two-Face more often or not it was Harley and Poison Ivy but either way Joker was no where to be seen or heard from.

At first he thought it had been a coincidence that these holes appeared and were filled in by other villains. The Joker did have other things to do besides break into jewelry stores and rob banks and he wasn’t out every night anyways. On the nights he wasn’t out though there were only small scale crimes by normal criminals meaning that Joker was busy doing something else or plotting for a heist. It was unclear still what he got up to when he sent Harley out to make mischief for him and that in itself was concerning to Bruce.  
He was determined to find out what the Joker was up to on these nights and if he had tracked it right than tonight was going to be the night he went off the map. Bruce had pulled Robin to go and check the rest of the city and take on his patrol routes knowing that he could take care of whatever happened for one night while he dealt with this mystery. With any luck he could have this cleared up in an hour and before long he would be back out on his normal patrol.

The derelict club that Joker had claimed as his hide away had been surprisingly difficult to find and he had missed it so many times in his sweeps and scans but he had discovered it a few days prior when Robin had spotted a small explosion when they were on patrol. Further investigation had revealed traces of the Joker Toxin and they had steered clear of it for the time being not wanting to alert Joker that they had found his lair.

Bruce had perched himself on the building across the street from the club the parabolic microphone set up and pointed at the building. Hoping to gather some kind of intelligence from this operation as he waited he had already called in to Robin where Harley was going to be when he heard their plan. Bruce had seen the Joker go into the building almost an hour before and Harley had left around forty five minutes later. It had been silent in the upstairs apartment for the next fifteen minutes and Bruce was starting to get worried that Joker may have slipped out the back while he had been busy listening. Thankfully though the device crackled to life with the sound of old music and Bruce sighed a breath of relief as the distinct sound of water in a shower turned on. If he wanted to attack now would be a good time but Joker was always armed and he was positive even in the shower he would put up a promising fight, besides this was a surveillance mission until it no longer was.

He hadn’t been expecting notes of song to every so often break through the sound of water and over the radio quite clearly ‘Love Letters in the Sand.’ Quickly jotting that note down in the gauntlets built in computer in case it was somehow important later on, for all he knew it could be it was the Joker. The voice he heard was off though but he wasn’t sure how, it was just wrong maybe a little too high, a little too soft. Bruce shook it off as just being something to do with the microphone. 

The song changed and the shower turned off though the singing didn’t stop interrupted by what Bruce could only assume was teeth brushing. A shadow passed across the drawn curtain in the window and the radio was turned down to a quiet level and he heard the shaking of a bottle and the tap running. The light turned off and bed sheets rustled before everything besides the softly playing music fell silent. There was no more singing and only periodic yawns and rustling. 

Bruce sat for almost an hour before he packed up his things and stowed them away to pick up later. Shooting a cable across the gap between buildings and sliding over. It wasn’t a high building and he used the fire escape to get to the window at the back. If he was right it was the furthest one from where the Joker was presumably asleep. It took a few minutes before he could quietly jostle the lock open and sneak into the apartment boots making hushed noises on the shag carpet. The window had led him into the kitchen and he frowned a little thinking about how wise it had been to carpet a kitchen before he shook his head retraining his thoughts back on what was important.

This place was very clearly the Jokers with newspaper clippings stuck with darts to the walls and candid photographs of himself done with the same treatment. Glass beakers and flasks filled with strange coloured liquids sat all over the counters and table and he didn’t even want to take a guess at what was in them. It was organized chaos in the kitchen which was a lot what he figured the inside of Jokers head must be like a great deal of the time. A peak inside the fridge revealed it to be practically barren with the occasional beaker with a hastily scrawled label of ‘Harley do not touch’ or ‘Not grape juice’ taped on it. A few take-out containers labeled ‘food’ and ‘not food’. It was almost too tempting not to open them and see what was inside but he didn’t want to disturb too many things or Joker would definitely be suspicious if he wasn’t already. With any luck he would figure it was Harley that had touched his things and not that Batman had broken into his house.

The apartment was bachelor style and the door to the bathroom was on his right. A quick look in the still steamy room revealed nothing of real interest, the soaps and shampoos were all home made which wasn’t much of a surprise. A make up bag sat on the counter and he poked up the lid to see what was inside. Just normal make up, all home made none of it too strange except for some of the more artist styled items. Spirit gum and blenders in Jokers pasty skin tone. Shaking his head he left the room heading into the living room slash bedroom.

It was a mess, clothes thrown on almost every available surface and the tiny table littered with ‘toys’ and weapons. What stopped him was a body suit draped over the back of the chair and he quietly picked it up between gloved hands. It was heavy and heavily padded, lined with what looked like something akin to Kevlar but clearly of Jokers own device. The chest of the suit was weirdly build with compression cloth and extra clasps on the inside. Even odder was the fact that the suit was imposed with male genitalia but that could be chalked up to the Jokers regular oddities, of course he would have a suit with junk attached to it. Hell the suit even had scars built in to it from their fights. Joker had taken some serious consideration into building his armor but it made sense when Bruce thought about how many times he had been shot and had gotten up again without a trace of blood. Bruce shook his head laying the suit back down on the chair where he had found it and searching around the room some more. It was interesting to get a glimpse into Jokers personal life not that there was a whole lot to be discovered in here. 

The radio still playing its soft music was set up next to the television and he looped around the room to the night side table where the bottle of pills was resting. Carefully he picked up the bottle giving the label a quick once over and frowning. Sleeping pills, just generic drug store brand. He opened the bottle carefully shaking out one of the pills and sticking it his belt for further examination. As he recapped the bottle his hand slipped and the bottle fumbled tumbling and landing on the table with a noise that seemed deafening next to the near silence. Mentally Bruce cursed his gloves for being a little clumsy when it came to handling things, sure they were great armor but not so great as investigating tools.

He heard the quick intake of waking breath and the slow movement as the Joker dragged the covers further over his head.  
“Harley…you shouldn’t be back yet…” He murmured but the voice was all wrong. Even roughed with sleep it was too soft and too high but still distinguishingly the Jokers voice.  
Batman said nothing frozen to the spot and hoping that if he just stayed quiet that Joker would fall back to sleep and he wouldn’t have to fight him.  
“Not even an apology Harley?” Not talking was the wrong decision as Joker started to rouse turning away from the wall and sitting up propping himself up on an arm and rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand.

If there was a smart retort that Bruce wanted to make he couldn’t find it in himself to even open his mouth as he took the Joker in. Too big shirt slipped off one shoulder even though it clung in all the wrong places and revealed the clearly feminine curves and bust. Joker yawned stretching his arms above his head as he tried to shake off the fog of the pills he had taken not too long ago. Sleepy fogged green eyes flashed clear as he-or she? Finally registered that it wasn’t Harley in the room it was Batman and Joker snarled blankets pulled up over his chest as those killer eyes narrowed.

There was no time for questions as those razor edged cards lodged themselves in Batman’s breastplate, the blanket flinging up and hiding Joker from sight. There was the barrel of a gun against his head before he could even turn, how on earth did Joker move so fast? It was beyond normal but incredibly handy for the Clown.

“Batman…” Joker growled his voice back to its regular register, “Couldn’t even give me twenty four hours to sleep could you.” 

His voice was darker and angry, worse than when he had lost a fight or had one of his heists busted. The Clown was truly furious at Batman’s intrusion. Bruce heard the gun being cocked and he swallowed thickly getting the acute impression that Joker would pull the trigger if he so much as moved.

“How would you like it if I came into your house and watched you sleep, hm? Bruce Wayne.” It wasn’t a statement it was a threat. 

Joker knew who he was behind the mask and yet there had been some perverse code keeping Joker from attacking him when he was a civilian at home and he had just unwittingly broken that code to smithereens. 

“Joker be rational now. You don’t want to kill me.” Bruce tried to say in his steadiest voice not wanting to shock him in to pulling the trigger, barking laughter was what he got in response.  
“Rational? You want rational after what you’ve just seen? Do you know how long I’ve been hiding this?” Joker snarled breath rushing over Batman’s cheek, “Years Batsy, more years than you’ve been hiding behind that mask and now you’ve gone and ruined it by being a snoop.”

“Joker being female doesn’t change anything, women can be great adversaries just think about Ivy.” Bruce offered, anything to give him a chance to get that gun off the back of his head.

“Ivy! You want to compare me with Ivy! Why? Because we both have breasts? Idiot!” The gun moved and the Joker stepped back still keeping it trained on Batman as he turned around, “I. Am. Not. A. Woman.” Every word punctuated with a threatening shake of the gun.

“But Joker-”

“But nothing Batman!” Teeth flashed in the light from the radio, “That doesn’t matter! This doesn’t matter! What I want matters that’s all!” 

Bruce could see haw badly the Joker was shaking, his entire body trembling as he tried to keep his hold on the gun steady. The look in his eyes was something Bruce had seen in his own so many times before he had lost count. The look of his entire world crumbling down around him with no hope of saving it. 

"I didn't see anything Joker, just pretend this was all a bad dream. No one would believe me if I told them any way." Bruce told him hands up slightly in surrender.

"Of course they wouldn't believe you! I'm a world class villain, my files all say male and no one knows who I am." Joker snarled even still he didn't relax if anything he tensed up further, "Stop trying to trick me!"

"I'm not trying to trick you Joker calm down."

"No! You can't make me calm down!" Joker shouted he looked about five seconds off pulling that trigger when his body rent rigid. The gun tumbling from his fingers as his body convulsed and he fell forward landing on the floor with a clatter. Bruce looked behind him where Robin stood tazer gun pointed at the Joker just in case he started moving again.

"How long have you been there?" Bruce asked him wondering if Robin had been there for the big reveal or not. 

"About five seconds, I heard him freaking out and you looked pretty trapped so I taz'd him." He shrugged and Batman nodded grabbing a blanket off the bed and bundling the Joker up in it. Pulling tranquilizer from his belt and injecting it into the villains arm before he picked him up bridal style careful to hide his body from Robin. 

"Thanks for the save Robin." Bruce gave a sharp nod walking to the door and down the stairs to ground level calling the Batmobile over and setting Joker in the passenger seat. 

"Awh so I don't even get a ride home?" Robin called already on the buildings roof.

"You have patrol to finish Robin." Bruce called back swinging into the drivers seat and revving the engine before pulling away heading back in the direction of home.

He wasn't sure what to do with the villain unconscious in the seat next to him. There was no way he could let him go not with how unstable he was. The Joker had been ready to kill him over his secret being found out and no doubt if he let him go there would be the a hell storm to pay. Sighing he took him back to the only place he knew he could keep an eye on and contain him, the Batcave.

There was a small holding tank that he put him in once they were back in the safety of the cave and away from prying eyes. They used the tank to test confined ballistics and smoke effects before they used them in the field. It was nothing to rig a lock on the door to keep the Joker locked inside. He was still unconscious but he wouldn't be for long medicines had a short life when they were dealing with the Joker and Bruce was surprised he was still out of this long. Sighing he pulled up a chair outside the bullet proof glass chamber turned holding cell and sat down watching the steady rise and fall of the Jokers breath. What was he going to do with him? He couldn't out him and throw him in Arkham like this. As terrible as the Joker was no one deserved that kind of cruelty and especially not at his hands. He couldn't put him back out on the streets in the condition he was in seeing the brutal willingness to kill pointed at him and Bruce feared that the manor would be his next place of attack if he let him go. There was so real choice other than to keep him here until he figured out what to do with him, not that he really wanted to keep the Joker right under his house but there wasn't much of a choice. 

Slowly and then all at once Joker woke up taking in his surroundings in one quick sweep before he settled his gaze in Bruce and all hell broke loose. Launching himself at the side of the cage and attacking the clear wall as though if he hit it enough he could break through and get at Batman. Any semblance of the usually dark humored and collected villain was gone as he watched him throw himself against the wall making the cage shake but it held strong. Bruce couldn't hear what he was shouting through the thick glass but he could only imagine by the force he used and before long bloodied streaks were marring his vision through the glass and Joker was tiring hands hanging by his side and shaking violently. 

Bruce could see why the staff at Arkham were terrified of him, the look of pure hatred burning holes in him as the Joker paced back and forth in the small cage. If this was what they had to deal with when they locked him up Bruce could hardly blame them for not wanting to put up a fight when he broke out. There was no rationality in those dark eyes just pure madness. Bruce sighed running his hands down his face and pulling his gloves off. Was it even possible to rehabilitate the Joker? Was there any hope in sending him back when he acted like this and so clearly didn’t want to be helped in the least?

Suddenly it hit him like a bolt of lightning, making him sit up ramrod straight. He could use this to his advantage there was a way he could salvage this disaster and make it work for the both of them. He had connections and maybe he could bargain with the Joker, what if his entire crime streak was based on his past and his discomfort in his body. If he could help with that than maybe Joker would mellow out and stop his reign of terror.

Standing up he moved to the door opening it for a second to drop a two way speaker into the room before he locked the door again. As expected Joker rushed the door throwing himself at it hard enough to make the hinges rattle and Bruce wondered if his cell could hold up against constant onslaught like that.  
Pressing the button on the radios pair he spoke into it watching the Jokers every move to see if he would even listen to him.

“Joker, I don’t want to hurt you just pick up the radio and listen to me.” Bruce spoke watching his eyes train on the radio as he paced over to it and scooped it off the ground with a bloodied hand.

“What do you want Batman.” Jokers voice sounded like acid even through the radio.

“I can help you, I know you’re not happy like this and I want to help.” Bruce sighed rubbing at his eyes through the mask before pulling it off. Joker already knew who he was it didn’t matter if he saw his face now.

“Help me? Ha! What are you going to do hm? Get me more therapy? Make me talk about my childhood?” It was mockery and the Joker walked up to the glass resting against it with a hand so he could glare at Bruce through the smudged glass.

“I want to get you the right body Joker.” Bruce said flatly staring back into those crazed green eyes and watching the doubt flicker through them.

“What?” His voice held so much distrust it dug under Bruce’s ribs.

“I know you can’t trust anyone and I figured that’s why you haven’t gotten what you want. I know people Joker I can help.” 

The Joker pulled away from the glass pacing to the other side of the room and back again fury turning his lips in a sneer.

“Why would you want to help me? You hate me Brucey.” Joker hissed.

“I don’t hate you Joker, I just…” Bruce sighed dropping his head for a moment. What was he supposed to say? That he knew how the Joker felt having his life collapse around him because of someone else? That they shared more in common than he thought? There was no right answer for this. “I know what it’s like to be a scared little boy all alone in the world and I want to help you. You’re not alone Joker if you’ll just let me help we can set things right.”

Joker watched him before sliding down the far wall a tired dismal look on his face and Bruce expected the fight to fade from his eyes but it didn’t. That fire still burned strong and Bruce knew it was going to be a killer to bargain with that spirit.

“And what’s the catch Batsy? You want me to stay in Arkham for the rest of eternity?” Joker barked his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms draped across them.

“No, you don’t have to go back to Arkham, I want you to stay here where I can keep an eye on you,” Dear god what was he doing, Dick was going to be furious when he came back and Bruce told him about this, “But I do want you to get help. That’s the deal. I help you get the body you want and you get the therapy and help you need. That’s all.”

This was the moment of truth whether Joker would laugh and throw his words back in his face or if he would accept his deal and consent to his help. The silence growing between them seemed to last forever as Joker stared at him unblinking before those red lips parted in a grin and he stood up gliding to Bruce’s side of the glass in long strides.

“Fine there Bruce you have a deal! Wanna shake on it?” Joker crooned face pressed up against the glass before he pulled away dropping the radio on the floor as he dissolved into laughter. Either way whatever he answered he was either trapped here or trapped in Arkham and he figured it would be better to take the sweeter deal. If he was lucky he would get something out of it, something that had been hanging just out of reach for most of his life.

Bruce let out a sigh of relief and stood up heading over to the Batcomputer starting his research for what he would need to deal with the Joker. Halfway through his searching he looked over his shoulder feeling eyes on his back. Green eyes were half open watching him as he worked the rest of the man leaning against the wall lazily. He could see his lips moving but it was incredibly hard to read with the grin on his face and so Bruce ignored it. If whatever he had to say was important enough he would pick up the radio and call through.

He stood looking for something else for the Joker to wear knowing that Dick would be home soon and Alfred would come down to attend to them, it was almost a miracle he hadn’t been down yet. There were a few sweaters and sweat pants that Bruce pulled he string out of and threw into the Joker. Hearing the radio crackle to life on the table.

“It’s such a pain not being able to speak to you Batsy, do you really have to keep me in here?” Jokers voice rang through and he cast a look over at the cage where he was tearing his t shirt to shreds and makeshift wrapping the shredded length around his breasts compressing his already small chest flat again before he pulled the sweater over his head and the track pants over his boxers.

“If I let you out you’re going to try and kill me. I’m not an idiot Joker.” Bruce grumbled turning his attention back to the computer as he continued his research.

“Hey! You just watched me change.” Bruce didn’t even need to turn he could hear the sulky pout through the radio.

“Joker go to sleep I’m busy.” He told him eyes trained on the screens.

“But Bruce it’s so lonely in here, I don’t like it and your floor is cold.” Joker whined, “I’m not going to have to live down here am I? I’m not a pet.”

“No I’ll make you a room, but please hush. I’m busy.” Bruce groaned turning off the radio as Joker continued to yammer on. Maybe he should just leave him in there it would certainly be a lot quieter.


End file.
